A Bahamian Government official has said that a British family’s continuous query of The Bahamas’ investigation into their toddler’s death is “completely ridiculous” and should have never come about.
The relevant government agencies have done all they can and, as far as they are concerned, a proper investigation was conducted, the official added.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security Mark Wilson, said Paul and Andrea Gallagher’s request for British police officers to conduct a full investigation into the tragic death of two-year-old Paul, who was mowed down by an out of control boat at the Atlantis Resort in August 2002, is ludicrous. “First of all, it was ridiculous to begin with because what they did in their court was to determine that the investigation that was conducted in The Bahamas was flawed,” he said.
“That has to be ridiculous because we certainly don’t do that when our citizens meet any kind of tragedy in other countries. We rely on their authorities to conduct a proper investigation. And as far as we are concerned, we conducted a proper investigation; inclusive of a coroner’s investigation.”
However, Mr Wilson said, the ministry was “confident” that their investigation would come under some scrutiny and they were prepared to deal with it. But they “were not prepared to have [British officers] come and reopen the investigation in The Bahamas.” Mr Wilson was responding to an article published in the Bromley Times online edition headlined “Boat death inquiry offer is withdrawn.” According to the article, the Gallaghers claim “the Bahamian government has gone back on its word” to allow Metropolitan (Met) officers to fly to The Bahamas to hold their own investigation.
“But now the authorities have withdrawn their effort, saying the British team can only review existing paperwork,” the article said.
Mr Wilson added that the government never agreed to allow the Met officers to conduct their own investigation, only review the files.
“I am not aware that the position the Ministry of National Security and the police took, is altered in anyway,” Mr Wilson said. “The position we took was that they could come, and along with the Bahamian police, review the case.”
Little Paul died when the driver of a speedboat lost his balance, sending the vessel into full throttle up the beach.
By: IANTHIA SMITH, The Nassau Guardian
